oe seattle



G. S. MAcLEOD.

BUMPER FOR MOTGR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1920.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

INVENTOR arye Qi/Vfl 600 ATTORNEY M hw WM WITNESSES UNITED STATES fil 'FlCEr GEORGE STEW'ARD MACLEOD, OF SEATTLE, VflltfHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANGUS P. IVTACLEOD, 01+ SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

Application filed May. 25,

To (5N whom it 02245 concern:

Be it known that l, 'Gnonon S. MAoLEoD, a citizen the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King'and Eitate oi? iiashington, have invented, a new and useful Bumper ior lilotor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to buffers or bumpers designed to be attached to the front and rear of motor vehi les.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a butler of few parts, which is easy to manufacture and assemble, which is rattle-proof and which is highly resilient.

The invention will be best understood From a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the ru-rompanying drawing forming part of this specification, withthe understanding, however, that the invention is notconfined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modilications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is a top plan View with parts shown in section of the improved bumper.

Fig. :2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4c is a section on the line H of Fig. 1.

5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig 1 in the drawing, the numeral 6 denotes the main spring of the bumper, which spring is made up of a single piece of spring steel bent to form a loop with its ends brought together and abutted indicated at 8. For the main portion of its length, the loop formed by the main spring comprises two paralle portions, and the loop at its ends is bent as indicated at 7, so that the bumper will curve around in front of or to the rear of the wheels of the vehicle, as the case may be. The opposite sides of the loop are equidistant throughout the entire length of the loop.

The main spring is held upon the car by brackets 9 which may be of any type, and, not entering into the present invention, will not be further described. These brackets support the main spring on that side of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 384,038.

loop which has the joint 8, so that the unbroken or continuous side of the loop is presented outwardly with respect to the car.

The main spring incloses a supplemental spring 10 which is nothing more than a single leaf oi spring metal secured intermediate its ends to the main spring. Such a supplemental spring will preferably be thicker'at its middle than at its ends and will have a pair of wings 11 provided at each end for snugly fitting over the edges of the main spring. The supplemental spring bridges the 3' int between the ends, as indicated in Fig. 1., and is secured to each end by pair of bolts The bolts 12 pass through alined perforations provided in each side of the loop midway between the ends of the loop. Sleeves 13 are held upon the bolts 12 and act as spacers to hold the sides of the loop tion where the supplemental spring is secured thereto. Obviously they bolts and spacing sleeves prevent any relative move ment whatever of the sides of the loop at the central portion of the loop.

Throughout the remainder of the loop, on either side of the spaced-apart section, the main spring is free to contract or expand under blows or the like. The ends of the supplemental spring 10 are pressed by the resilience of that spring against the inner face ot' the outer side of the main spring, andwhen the main springcontracts or is otherwise deformed, the ends of the supplemental spring may slide freely along the main spring. The length of the supplemental spring is such that its ends press against the outer side oi theloop at points nearly opposite where the main spring is supported by the brackets 9. The wheels of the vehicle will be normally directly-back of the bent ends 7 of the loop, or it the bumper is used on the rear end of the vehiclethe rear wheels will be in front of said bent ends.

',ne of the features of the invention is believed to be the provision of the spacing elements 12, 13 which hold apart the sides of the loop and secure the supplemental sprin in place, and, which, in cooperation with the supplemental spring, hold the ends oi"; the main spring together.

Another feature is believed to be the provision of a supplemental spring of the char acter described, which apart at their central por{ obviously adds greatly to the resilience and strength of the bumper but does not permit any rattling of the parts, and which, being slidably engaged at its ends with the main spring, yields freely without danger of breakage when the bumper encounters an obstruction.

The invention represents a construction which is extremely simple and economical to manufacture and assemble, which is easily installed on a car, has a pleasing appearance, and meets all the requirements of the trade.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring forming a complete loop, a supplemental spring within the loop, and means joining the supplemental spring at a midpoint to one side of the main spring with the ends of the supplemental spring engaging the other side of the main spring.

2. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring forming a complete loop, a supplemental spring within the loop, and means joining the supplemental spring at a midpoint to one side of the main spring with the ends of the supplemental spring engag ing the other side of the main spring, said means also holding the two sides of the looped spring apart at a midpoint of the loop.

In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring forming an elongated loop with parallel sides, the ends of the spring being brought together at a midpoint of the loop, means for bridging the two ends, and means holding the bridging means spaced from the opposite side of the loop.

4. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring forming an elongated loop with parallel sides, the ends of the spring being brought together at a midpoint of the loop, means for bridging the two ends and for resiliently supporting the opposite side of the loop, and means holding the bridging ineans spaced from the opposite side of the spring formed into an elongated loop with the endsbrought together at a point midway between the ends of the loop, a supplemental spring within the loop and secured to the main spring at each end and bridging said ends, said supplemental spring having 5. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main its-ends engaging the opposite side of the loop at points removed from the middle thereof.

6. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring formed into an elongated loop with the ends brought together at a point midway between the ends of the loop, a suppleniental spring within the loop and secured .to the main spring at each end and bridging said ends, said supplemental spring having its ends engaging the opposite side of the loop at points removed from the middle thereof, and wings on each end of thesupplemental spring for holding those ends-to the main spring when the latter expands or contracts.

7. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring formed into an elongated loop with the ends brought together at a point midway between the ends of the loop, a supplemental spring formed or" a single leaf, securing means holding the supplemental spring to the main spring at pomts near the ends of the latter, said supplemental spring having its ends engaging with the opposite side of the loop, said securing means spacing the two sides of the loop apart at the middle portion of said loop.

8. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring formed into a loop, a pair of brackets securing the loop to the car, and a supplemental spring secured within the loop to that side carried by the brackets, the free ends of said supplemental spring bearing against the opposite side of the loop at points approximately opposite where the brackets hold the loop.

9. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a main spring'formed into an elongated loop, a supplemental spring within the loop, spacing elements located at a point midway between the ends of the loop and arranged within the same and secured to the main spring, said spacing elements serving to hold the'supplemental spring in place, said supplemental spring having its ends engaging the side of the loop opposite that side where secured to the loop, said ends engag ing the loop at points removed from the middle thereof.

Intestimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature.

GEORGE STEWARD MACLEOD. 

